“Four out of the five states listed have passing grades from groups that support MORE gun control and disarming the populace,” an AR-15.com forum member pointed out.

Sure enough, on the latest “state scorecard” from the anti-gun Brady Campaign, Virginia is the only state out of the five that isn’t really moving toward stricter gun laws.

And according to a state ranking from Guns & Ammo which lists the best state for gun owners at #1 and the strictest gun control state at #50, California, Maryland and Illinois are ranked #46, #44 and #41 respectively.

The other two states, Michigan and Virginia, are ranked around the middle of the pack at #28 and #21.

Additionally, California and Maryland are among the hardest states for citizens to receive concealed carry permits.

“There are only a few conditions under which Maryland may grant you a permit,” an Opencarry forum member revealed. “1) Documented threats against your life or previous documented attacks, 2) Transportation of large sums of cash with bank deposit slips as proof and 3) Carrying of medicine and prescription pads (medical doctors.)”

“In other words you will not get a permit to carry in Maryland unless one of the three conditions above is met and if it is granted, it will be restricted to the activity used as the basis for the approval.”

And it isn’t much easier for California residents to receive a permit.

So put yourself in a militant’s shoes: would you rather attack an area where only the police have guns, or an area where citizens will shoot back?